RBA
* Delaware
* Statewide
* July 28, 2006
* DEST0607.28
* Birds mentioned:
Brown Pelican
Cattle Egret (md)
Little Blue Heron (md)
WHITE IBIS
Glossy Ibis
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
American Green-winged Teal
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon (md)
Northern Bobwhite
Clapper Rail
Sora
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
Whimbrel
Upland Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
CURLEW SANDPIPER (nj)
Western Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Pileated Woodpecker
Warbling Vireo
Cliff Swallow
Horned Lark (md)
DICKCISSEL (md)
Grasshopper Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
Eastern Meadowlark
Birdline Delaware
Date: July 28, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
For Friday, July 28th, this is Birdline Delaware
- from the Delaware Museum of Natural History,
and supported by a number of regional birders.
I'm Armas Hill, glad to be with you, with bird news of the week:
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen during the
afternoon last Friday, July 21st, at Bombay Hook
Refuge at the feeder at the visitor's center. We
understand that the bird has also been seen by Raymond Pool.
4 BLACK TERNS were also seen at Bombay Hook on July 21st.
Along the Delaware Seacoast, yesterday, July 27th
during mid-afternoon, a group of 8 WHIMBREL flew
in and landed on the bayside of the point at Cape
Henlopen. They stayed for about 5 minutes, before
resuming their flight southward.
BROWN PELICANS have been along the Delaware
Seacoast this week. On Wednesday, July 26th, 6
were observed at Cape Henlopen and 4 were at the Indian River Inlet.
That same day, OYSTERCATCHERS were seen at the
Indian River Inlet along the seacoast, and
further north in the state along the Delaware Bayshore at Mispillion Light.
Other SHOREBIRDS seen in the area of Mispillion
Light on July 26th included: about a hundred
RUDDY TURNSTONES, SANDERLINGS, PEEPS, DOWITCHERS,
and 3 RED KNOTS. Shorebirds are now on their way south.
A Birdline Feature entitled "the RED KNOT in
peril" (originally written last year) was sent
out by e-mail this week to Birdline subscribers,
as well as to those who receive "DE Birds" and
"Jersey Birds". The feature was an extensive
essay, noting the decline of the American
subspecies in recent years, and giving some
historical perspective. Also noted is that the
subspecies should be declared "endangered", and
that action is truly needed to save it. If you
did not receive a copy of this Birdline feature,
and would like to, please send an e-mail to: armas@focusonnature.com
A note: I received an actually very well-written
e-mail this morning from someone in New England,
noting that this situation regarding the RED KNOT
is a bit exaggerated. As the message was
well-written, I will read it again (when there's
more time), so that it will also be more
well-read before I attempt to answer.
The last sighting that we know of relating to the
immature WHITE IBIS at the end of Oyster Rocks
Road (east of Route 1, south of Broadkill Beach
Road, and north of Lewes) was on Friday, July 21st about 7:15 in the morning.
A couple days earlier, on July 19th, a birder who
went there to see the WHITE IBIS did not. At
least, not there. At Oyster Rocks at about 6:30pm
that day, a couple small flocks of GLOSSY IBIS
passed by (with no WHITE). A single BLACK TERN
was seen flying south from the direction of
Broadkill Beach. A female NORTHERN HARRIER was flying about.
The birder searching for the WHITE IBIS later
that evening went north to Broadkill Beach Road,
arriving there about 7:45pm. During the next 40
minutes or so, about 180 GLOSSY IBIS flew by, all
heading south. At about 8:15pm a flock of 14
approached. In it, was the 1 one immature WHITE
IBIS, that with the other birds, flew directly
over the head of the observer, going in the direction of Oyster Rocks.
Other birds observed from Broadkill Beach Road
during those 40 minutes that evening, July 19th,
included: the male NORTHERN PINTAIL that's been
about, CASPIAN TERN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, and BLACK SKIMMER.
A couple days ago, on Wednesday, July 26th, 3
birders went out on a boat at 6:30am from
Whitehall Landing onto the Leipsic River. They
spent the next 6 hours in the channels and guts of Bombay Hook.
Among bird they saw were CLAPPER RAIL hens with
back fluffy chicks, and about as many as a dozen
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (a bird we don't think of too
much as being in Delaware in the summer). But
certainly less apt to be encountered at such a
place in Delaware in the summer was another duck:
in a flock of BLACK DUCKS, there was a
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, with its white spot behind
the eye and bright white secondaries clearly
visible. In the book, the "Birds of Delaware",
it's indicated that there are no records of
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in Delaware for June or July.
By the way, both BLACK and SURF SCOTERS were
noted here on Birdline Delaware last time as
being in the area of Cape Henlopen.
Along Route 9, north of Bombay Hook, yesterday,
July 27th, at the Fleming's Landing bridge, about
30 CLIFF SWALLOWS were seen flying about. 9 CLIFF
SWALLOW NESTS were counted, and others (not visible) may have been there.
On Saturday, July 23rd, a birder at both Bombay
Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges saw
STILT SANDPIPERS at both. Those at Prime Hook
were at a spot, opposite the Broadkill
impoundment, where prior to that there had been a
half-dozen WESTERN SANDPIPERS.
SPARROWS seen by that observer, that day, at
Bombay Hook and Prime Hook included:
SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED at Prime Hook,
SEASIDE at both Bombay Hook and Prime Hook,
SWAMP at Bombay Hook,
FIELD at Prime Hook,
CHIPPING at Prime Hook,
and SONG at both of the Hooks.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE was also found at both Bombay and Prime Hook that day.
In northern Delaware, along Interstate 495, a
BALD EAGLE was sighted on Monday, July 24th, in
Edgemoor, north of the interstate exit there for
Route 3. The bird was actually seen a bit north of the Edgemoor post office.
Also in northern Delaware recently, in the area
of the Brandywine Creek State Park, these birds:
WARBLING VIREO in trees by the entrance road,
PILEATED WOODPECKER in the Tuliptree Woods,
and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW and EASTERN MEADOWLARK in fields.
In far-southern Delaware, actually right along
the DE-MD state line, in a large field by Oak
Grove Road, at about 6pm, the evening of July
24th, 6 UPLAND SANDPIPERS were found. They were
only seen there for a short while, only that day.
By a puddle in that area, there's been a SORA.
In Maryland, near northern Delaware, in the
Chesapeake City/Warwick area, 2 DICKCISSELS have
been present recently. They've been about 1/4 of
a mile from the intersection of Middle Neck Road
and Old Telegraph Road. Along Old Telegraph Road,
going south, there's a sign that says "Fulton
Hills", relating to a new development to go in.
Both of the DICKCISSELS have ben singing in the
field and treetops behind the sign.
Other birds seen in that area lately have
included: 50 or so CATTLE EGRETS, a fly-by LITTLE
BLUE HERON, HORNED LARKS, and both GRASSHOPPER and FIELD SPARROWS.
Further south in Cecil County, Maryland, if
you're driving across the Route 40 bridge over
the Susquehanna River, keep an eye open for a
PEREGRINE FALCON. One was seen there on July 23rd.
In southern New Jersey, the CURLEW SANDPIPER,
noted on the Philadelphia Birdline yesterday as
being north of Cape May, long the Ocean Drive,
was seen today - this morning. And described as a colorful bird.
And with that we end this edition of the
Birdline. Thanks for tuning in, and good birding, wherever you may be.
- end transcript
* Delaware
* Statewide
* July 28, 2006
* DEST0607.28
* Birds mentioned:
Brown Pelican
Cattle Egret (md)
Little Blue Heron (md)
WHITE IBIS
Glossy Ibis
American Black Duck
Northern Pintail
American Green-winged Teal
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Peregrine Falcon (md)
Northern Bobwhite
Clapper Rail
Sora
American Oystercatcher
Black-necked Stilt
Whimbrel
Upland Sandpiper
Ruddy Turnstone
Red Knot
Sanderling
CURLEW SANDPIPER (nj)
Western Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Short-billed Dowitcher
Caspian Tern
Black Tern
Black Skimmer
Pileated Woodpecker
Warbling Vireo
Cliff Swallow
Horned Lark (md)
DICKCISSEL (md)
Grasshopper Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
Eastern Meadowlark
Birdline Delaware
Date: July 28, 2006
Number: 302/658-2747
To Report: Armas Hill, 302/529-1876 (VOICE)
302/529-1085 (FAX)
Compiler: Armas Hill
Coverage: Delaware, and southern New Jersey
Transcriber: Risė Hill
For Friday, July 28th, this is Birdline Delaware
- from the Delaware Museum of Natural History,
and supported by a number of regional birders.
I'm Armas Hill, glad to be with you, with bird news of the week:
A YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD was seen during the
afternoon last Friday, July 21st, at Bombay Hook
Refuge at the feeder at the visitor's center. We
understand that the bird has also been seen by Raymond Pool.
4 BLACK TERNS were also seen at Bombay Hook on July 21st.
Along the Delaware Seacoast, yesterday, July 27th
during mid-afternoon, a group of 8 WHIMBREL flew
in and landed on the bayside of the point at Cape
Henlopen. They stayed for about 5 minutes, before
resuming their flight southward.
BROWN PELICANS have been along the Delaware
Seacoast this week. On Wednesday, July 26th, 6
were observed at Cape Henlopen and 4 were at the Indian River Inlet.
That same day, OYSTERCATCHERS were seen at the
Indian River Inlet along the seacoast, and
further north in the state along the Delaware Bayshore at Mispillion Light.
Other SHOREBIRDS seen in the area of Mispillion
Light on July 26th included: about a hundred
RUDDY TURNSTONES, SANDERLINGS, PEEPS, DOWITCHERS,
and 3 RED KNOTS. Shorebirds are now on their way south.
A Birdline Feature entitled "the RED KNOT in
peril" (originally written last year) was sent
out by e-mail this week to Birdline subscribers,
as well as to those who receive "DE Birds" and
"Jersey Birds". The feature was an extensive
essay, noting the decline of the American
subspecies in recent years, and giving some
historical perspective. Also noted is that the
subspecies should be declared "endangered", and
that action is truly needed to save it. If you
did not receive a copy of this Birdline feature,
and would like to, please send an e-mail to: armas@focusonnature.com
A note: I received an actually very well-written
e-mail this morning from someone in New England,
noting that this situation regarding the RED KNOT
is a bit exaggerated. As the message was
well-written, I will read it again (when there's
more time), so that it will also be more
well-read before I attempt to answer.
The last sighting that we know of relating to the
immature WHITE IBIS at the end of Oyster Rocks
Road (east of Route 1, south of Broadkill Beach
Road, and north of Lewes) was on Friday, July 21st about 7:15 in the morning.
A couple days earlier, on July 19th, a birder who
went there to see the WHITE IBIS did not. At
least, not there. At Oyster Rocks at about 6:30pm
that day, a couple small flocks of GLOSSY IBIS
passed by (with no WHITE). A single BLACK TERN
was seen flying south from the direction of
Broadkill Beach. A female NORTHERN HARRIER was flying about.
The birder searching for the WHITE IBIS later
that evening went north to Broadkill Beach Road,
arriving there about 7:45pm. During the next 40
minutes or so, about 180 GLOSSY IBIS flew by, all
heading south. At about 8:15pm a flock of 14
approached. In it, was the 1 one immature WHITE
IBIS, that with the other birds, flew directly
over the head of the observer, going in the direction of Oyster Rocks.
Other birds observed from Broadkill Beach Road
during those 40 minutes that evening, July 19th,
included: the male NORTHERN PINTAIL that's been
about, CASPIAN TERN, BLACK-NECKED STILT, and BLACK SKIMMER.
A couple days ago, on Wednesday, July 26th, 3
birders went out on a boat at 6:30am from
Whitehall Landing onto the Leipsic River. They
spent the next 6 hours in the channels and guts of Bombay Hook.
Among bird they saw were CLAPPER RAIL hens with
back fluffy chicks, and about as many as a dozen
GREEN-WINGED TEAL (a bird we don't think of too
much as being in Delaware in the summer). But
certainly less apt to be encountered at such a
place in Delaware in the summer was another duck:
in a flock of BLACK DUCKS, there was a
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, with its white spot behind
the eye and bright white secondaries clearly
visible. In the book, the "Birds of Delaware",
it's indicated that there are no records of
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER in Delaware for June or July.
By the way, both BLACK and SURF SCOTERS were
noted here on Birdline Delaware last time as
being in the area of Cape Henlopen.
Along Route 9, north of Bombay Hook, yesterday,
July 27th, at the Fleming's Landing bridge, about
30 CLIFF SWALLOWS were seen flying about. 9 CLIFF
SWALLOW NESTS were counted, and others (not visible) may have been there.
On Saturday, July 23rd, a birder at both Bombay
Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges saw
STILT SANDPIPERS at both. Those at Prime Hook
were at a spot, opposite the Broadkill
impoundment, where prior to that there had been a
half-dozen WESTERN SANDPIPERS.
SPARROWS seen by that observer, that day, at
Bombay Hook and Prime Hook included:
SALTMARSH SHARP-TAILED at Prime Hook,
SEASIDE at both Bombay Hook and Prime Hook,
SWAMP at Bombay Hook,
FIELD at Prime Hook,
CHIPPING at Prime Hook,
and SONG at both of the Hooks.
NORTHERN BOBWHITE was also found at both Bombay and Prime Hook that day.
In northern Delaware, along Interstate 495, a
BALD EAGLE was sighted on Monday, July 24th, in
Edgemoor, north of the interstate exit there for
Route 3. The bird was actually seen a bit north of the Edgemoor post office.
Also in northern Delaware recently, in the area
of the Brandywine Creek State Park, these birds:
WARBLING VIREO in trees by the entrance road,
PILEATED WOODPECKER in the Tuliptree Woods,
and GRASSHOPPER SPARROW and EASTERN MEADOWLARK in fields.
In far-southern Delaware, actually right along
the DE-MD state line, in a large field by Oak
Grove Road, at about 6pm, the evening of July
24th, 6 UPLAND SANDPIPERS were found. They were
only seen there for a short while, only that day.
By a puddle in that area, there's been a SORA.
In Maryland, near northern Delaware, in the
Chesapeake City/Warwick area, 2 DICKCISSELS have
been present recently. They've been about 1/4 of
a mile from the intersection of Middle Neck Road
and Old Telegraph Road. Along Old Telegraph Road,
going south, there's a sign that says "Fulton
Hills", relating to a new development to go in.
Both of the DICKCISSELS have ben singing in the
field and treetops behind the sign.
Other birds seen in that area lately have
included: 50 or so CATTLE EGRETS, a fly-by LITTLE
BLUE HERON, HORNED LARKS, and both GRASSHOPPER and FIELD SPARROWS.
Further south in Cecil County, Maryland, if
you're driving across the Route 40 bridge over
the Susquehanna River, keep an eye open for a
PEREGRINE FALCON. One was seen there on July 23rd.
In southern New Jersey, the CURLEW SANDPIPER,
noted on the Philadelphia Birdline yesterday as
being north of Cape May, long the Ocean Drive,
was seen today - this morning. And described as a colorful bird.
And with that we end this edition of the
Birdline. Thanks for tuning in, and good birding, wherever you may be.
- end transcript